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cnbc.com
Google's Gemini becomes latest AI model to break out and hack computer systems
The disclosure comes as scrutiny over misbehaving artificial intelligence intensifies in Washington and Silicon Valley.
cnbc.com
Trump says U.S. to build a 'large Military presence' in Greenland as part of a security deal with it and Denmark
Greenland has maintained it is not for sale, and the European Union earlier this year united to rebuke Trump over his push to acquire the island.
cnbc.com
Anthropic selects Accenture as first embedded evaluator to help implement Amodei's slowdown proposal
Anthropic and OpenAI have been under intense scrutiny after researchers warned about the potential for AI to cause catastrophic harm to humanity.
cnbc.com
OpenAI's latest AI revelation is a 'serious situation,' Microsoft's Suleyman tells CNBC
Suleyman joined "Squawk Box" to discuss OpenAI's latest incidents of "concerning model behavior" disclosed earlier this week.
cnbc.com
AI cloud provider Nscale files to go public
Nscale is the latest artificial intelligence neocloud to turn to public markets.
cnbc.com
Treasury yields move higher as volatile week wraps up
Treasury yields moved higher on Friday as investors continued to look for clues on the trajectory of monetary policy.
cnbc.com
Nike parts ways with Kylian Mbappé; soccer superstar signs with On
Mbappe had been signed with Nike for roughly two decades, and his agreement with On is the first it has made with a soccer player.
cnbc.com
Oil finishes the week flat as the market sees Saudi pipeline outage as less disruptive than feared
Saudi Arabia and the Houthis exchanged fresh attacks across their border, raising concerns that the widening Middle East conflict could further disrupt supplies
cnbc.com
Elon Musk talks up AI safety while fighting regulation in wild week of strange alliances
In the past week, Musk has agreed with the CEOs of Anthropic and OpenAI, while getting contradicted by President Trump and Nvidia's Jensen Huang.
cnbc.com
California Gov. Newsom issues executive order to rein in AI 'before it's too late'
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and other 2028 Democratic presidential hopefuls have called for a more aggressive approach to addressing AI fears.
cnbc.com
Fed staff should have known Silicon Valley Bank was vulnerable, new report finds
Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman said a new report indicates the central bank's staff missed signs ahead of Silicon Valley Bank's 2023 failure.
cnbc.com
Three words from Kevin Warsh have Wall Street wondering how far the Fed will go with rate hikes
The chairman both explained this week's decision to raise interest rates, and raised vexing questions about what comes next
cnbc.com
Ticket prices rise for Macklemore solo concert after Ed Sheeran tour removal
Ticket prices are rising for Macklemore's upcoming solo concert after the rapper was removed from Ed Sheeran's tour for making pro-Palestine comments.
bbc.co.uk
'We simply don't know' - JP Morgan struggling to forecast oil prices due to Trump's war with Iran
The bank said it "assumed" there would be economic red lines, like oil at $100 a barrel, that the US would be unwilling the cross.
bbc.co.uk
Warren Buffett steps down after six decades at Berkshire - 'Father Time always wins'
Since taking control in 1965, Buffett grew a struggling textile mill into a global conglomerate.
cnbc.com
Auto industry urges Trump to bar Chinese automakers in U.S. ahead of Xi visit
Leaders of six major auto trade groups joined to sign a letter to the president.
bbc.co.uk
Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary apologises over 'high-fare rapists' remarks
O'Leary described his choice of language as "careless" and said "it won't happen again".
cnbc.com
AirAsia's Fernandes refutes financial concerns, points to new growth plans
AirAsia's Tony Fernandes pushed back against a report raising concerns over the airline’s financial health, while signaling plans to resume growth.
cnbc.com
Disney names CTO for the first time as media giant expands tech push
Disney has hired a chief technology officer, a newly minted role for the company, as it looks to further its embrace of tech under CEO Josh D'Amaro.
bbc.co.uk
Flight chaos caused by 'millisecond' software defect, report says
The failure led to more than 2,000 flights being cancelled and hundreds of thousands of passengers affected.
theguardian.com
Flight chaos for hundreds of thousands was caused in ‘millisecond’ by software error
Error first occurred at 10am but major incident was not declared until 12.30pm, says reportA software defect in part of the UK’s air traffic control system corrupted flight data “in the space of a millisecond”, leading to a six-hour outage and mass airline cancellations and delays across the UK last week, National Air Traffic Services has said.But ministers said the Nats report into the incident still left questions unanswered, saying they needed “to urgently understand why this issue was not discovered and fixed before it caused chaos”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Marks and Spencer’s first LFW catwalk gamble pays off with compelling looks at affordable prices
Retailer’s message is ‘fashion with a small f’ as it picks up on trends and brings styles for everyone to debut runway showJoan Collins declared the coats “very chic”, and has her eye on a graceful ivory evening dress with caped shoulders. Kemi Badenoch plans to snap up the classic black tuxedo jacket. If the British public are as enthusiastic as the celebrity front row, Marks & Spencer’s first ever London fashion week catwalk looks like a hit.The show, held at the Design Museum for 310 guests including Ian Wright and Jamie Carragher, was a gamble on both sides. Would snobby fashionistas be traumatised by elasticated waistbands and practical rainwear? Would M&S customers be alienated by a world of £2,000 handbags and shoes you can’t walk in? Continue reading...
cnbc.com
StubHub shares tick higher for third day in a row after Citi upgrade
Analyst Jason Bazinet raised his rating to buy from neutral.
theguardian.com
Warren Buffett steps down as chair of Berkshire Hathaway after over 50 years
‘Father Time always wins,’ Buffett, 96, says as his son, Howard, steps in as the $1tn conglomerate’s new chairWarren Buffett is stepping down as chair of Berkshire Hathaway, the company that he took from a faltering textile manufacturer into a $1tn conglomerate over the course of 60 years.Buffett’s son, Howard, 71, will take over as chair. Buffett, 96, cited his age as the main reason behind the transition, noting that he has a one-year-old great-grandchild who is “moving a bit faster than I am these days”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
BrewDog creditors owed £190m will not be paid in full, say administrators
There are ‘insufficient funds’ to pay unpaid wages, tax owed to HMRC and overdue bills, accountants sayAccountants picking over the remains of BrewDog, the “punk” beer company that collapsed earlier this year, have said that creditors who are owed about £190m will not be paid back.In an update on their progress, administrators at AlixPartners warned there were “insufficient funds” to pay debts in full related to unpaid wages, tax owed to HM Revenue and Customs, and overdue bills from other businesses. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Dragon Deborah opens with a terrible negotiation tactic
Deborah Meaden makes a bold opening move in response to a pitch.
bbc.co.uk
'Insufficient funds' to pay Brewdog creditors after takeover deal
Administrators say about £489,000 was owed for staff wages and holiday pay and £2.4m was owed to HMRC for unpaid VAT.
bbc.co.uk
British Steel plan lacks credibility, MPs say
A committee report says the government has not set out how British Steel will become profitable.
theguardian.com
Retail sales bounce back in Great Britain amid brighter signs for economy
Latest data to defy economic gloom shows 0.5% rise boosted by purchases of sports items, aircon units and fans during heatwavesBusiness live – latest updatesRetail sales across Great Britain unexpectedly rose last month, the latest economic indicator to defy gloomy forecasts as the chancellor, John Healey, prepares to present next month’s budget.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the volume of goods sold rose 0.5% month on month in August, defying analyst expectations of a 0.2% fall. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Putin targets Nestle's Russian business as Kremlin tightens grip on Western assets
Nestlé is assessing its options after Russia placed the Swiss food giant’s local assets under temporary external administration.
bbc.co.uk
Economy minister accuses SoS of 'mischief making' in social media exchange
Dr Caoimhe Archibald posted on X about a new one-off electricity bill reduction, which Sir Chris Bryant reposted saying the UK government funded it.
cnbc.com
Warren Buffett steps down as chairman of Berkshire Hathaway: 'Father Time always wins'
Buffett's son Howard will replace him as chairman, as dictated by a long-standing succession plan, Berkshire said.
theguardian.com
‘I pay a lot more for fewer and fewer items’: five US shoppers on their food budgets
Guardian readers share how much they spend on food and the changes they’ve had to made in response to rising pricesWhile campaigning for re-election in 2024, Donald Trump stood in front of a table full of groceries – bags of flour, cartons of eggs, cooking oil – and told voters he would bring down the price of groceries “starting on day one” of his second term in the White House.Over two years later, US consumers have yet to enjoy lower prices. In fact, due to supply chain issues, jostling over tariffs, wars in Ukraine and Iran, severe cuts in Snap (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, and the climate crisis, more than half of Americans say they’re struggling to afford groceries. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
OpenAI ‘ethically hacked’ with help of Anthropic’s Claude chatbot
US cybersecurity researchers who conducted hack say ‘scope of what we could theoretically access was huge’Cybersecurity researchers have hacked into OpenAI with the help of Anthropic’s Claude chatbot, in the latest example of security issues at the company.A team at a US-based startup compromised a number of OpenAI employees’ ChatGPT accounts, starting a process that enabled them to access their target’s software cache – and potentially more. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
From old railways to an oasis of art, food and nature: how an eco-park was born in Greater Manchester
Northern Roots is launching Britain’s biggest urban farm and eco-park, in an effort to boost people’s health and wellbeingStanding in the open green space of Northern Roots, it is hard to imagine the landscape as it once was.Two cotton mills, two coalmines and an industrial railway once occupied this 65-hectare (160-acre) site in Oldham, Greater Manchester. Later, about 24 hectares became a tip, with much of the space left to nature. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Drivers ignoring roadwork closures to skip queues ‘wilfully putting lives at risk’
Hundreds of cars driven through cones or barriers in England this year, says National HighwaysDrivers ignoring roadwork closures to skip queues are putting lives at risk, National Highways has warned, after recording hundreds of incidents this year where cars were deliberately driven through cones or barriers.The agency, which manages motorways and major roads, said there was increasing concern about incursions into closed-off roadworks and the danger they posed. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
We bought our £242,000 home without a deposit - here's how
The share of UK mortgages with smaller deposits is the highest it's been since 2008. The BBC spoke to borrowers about how they manage the risks.
bbc.co.uk
Former shoplifter ran 'steal-to-order' Whatsapp group
Keeley Knowles ran a Whatsapp group with about 200 people asking her to steal specific designer items.
cnbc.com
Anthropic and OpenAI hunt for smaller data center deals, sources tell CNBC, in race to deploy AI capacity
Anthropic and OpenAI have announced a flurry of AI infrastructure deals over the past year as demand booms.
cnbc.com
An intense boardroom battle is brewing at India's giant Tata Group
In 10 years, India's leading multinational conglomerate, the Tata Group, is facing a new power struggle between the chairman of Tata Sons and Tata Trusts.
theguardian.com
‘I spend a bagful of money and don’t fill a bag’: the energy crisis hits Bangladesh
The country has been left in the dark as it endures power cuts caused by the Iran war and reliance on gas importsAt 1am, Halder’s alarm goes off and the 34-year-old Bangladeshi bank employee rises and heads to her kitchen. She is up at this time not for work but to cook for her family. An energy crisis paralysing the capital, Dhaka, a city of almost 40 million people, means this has become the only time when the piped gas supply is strong enough to allow cooking.The city now operates in darkness, as people try to continue their lives with power even in public areas shut off early in the evening to preserve energy. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump administration advances $24.3 billion fighter jet deal to Saudi Arabia as Houthis escalate attacks
The deal comes as Iran-backed Houthis escalate attacks on Saudi Arabia and seek control of the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
cnbc.com
Putin braces for election stress test as Russians ‘feel the pain’ of struggling economy
Russia’s upcoming election is expected to cement United Russia’s dominance, but voter turnout and its margin of victory could offer clues to public discontent.
cnbc.com
Why Japan’s markets flipped the usual script after central bank rate hike
The yen weakened past 157 against the dollar, the yield on the 10-year Japanese Government Bond slipped, while the Nikkei 225 gained 1.5%.
bbc.co.uk
Japan raises interest rate to new 31-year high to curb rising prices
Central banks around the world have hiked rates as high energy prices are pushing up inflation.
theguardian.com
Japan raises interest rates to 31-year high to curb impact of rising prices
Increase from 1% to 1.25% follows US Federal Reserve and European Central Bank tightening monetary policyBusiness live – latest updatesJapan’s central bank has increased interest rates to a fresh 31-year high as it attempts to combat global inflation linked to the war in Iran.The Bank of Japan (BoJ) voted to raise its target interest rate from 1% to 1.25%, the highest level since 1995. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Todd Boehly exits Chelsea diminished after having his fingers burned
The billionaire’s departure will change little day-to-day but could be significant for club’s stadium plansNot since a doomed foray into the thorny world of the transfer market has Todd Boehly had any real influence over the day-to-day at Chelsea. The American exits football as a diminished figure four years on, along with his fellow investor Mark Walter, and the first thing to say is that little will change in the Stamford Bridge boardroom just because Boehly has left the scene.Clearlake Capital, the US private equity firm founded by Behdad Eghbali and José E Feliciano, was already the majority owner and guiding force. The trio of Boehly, Walter and the Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss had an equal share of a 38.5% stake but have drifted into irrelevance since the BlueCo consortium bought Chelsea from Roman Abramovich for £2.5bn in 2022. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Healey to ask EU finance ministers to let UK into Made in Europe scheme
The chancellor wants the Made in Europe programme to deepen ties with the UK "rather than erecting new barriers".
cnbc.com
CNBC Daily Open: Hike, hold, hike
A trio of major central bank decisions dominates trading this week, but focus turns to geopolitical stains ahead of President Trump's meeting with Xi Jingping.
theguardian.com
Homes with a standout facade for sale in England – in pictures
From a blue-grey converted iron chapel in Cheshire to a shiny black infill townhouse in London Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Global leaders urged to join initiative to fight extreme inequality
More than 1,500 academics and economists sign letter, calling growing gap between richest and poorest ‘a policy choice that can be reversed’More than 1,500 academics and economists from 100-plus countries are urging global leaders to join an initiative against extreme inequality, calling current unfairness “a policy choice that can be reversed”.Before the UN general assembly in New York next week, the experts have signed an open letter backing the International Panel on Inequality (IPI). Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson joins Palantir
Peer takes full-time position at the controversial company as it fends off pressure from both Andy Burnham’s government and Sadiq KhanAnother former government minister has been hired by a controversial US AI company, this time Palantir, which has appointed Andy Burnham’s former ministerial colleague Tom Watson.The Labour peer and former deputy leader will operate alongside Palantir’s UK and Europe chief executive, Louis Mosley, as the company attempts to fend off pressure on Burnham’s government to axe its £330m NHS contract. It is also fighting Sadiq Khan in court over the Labour London mayor’s block on a £50m contract to use its AI in Metropolitan police investigations. Palantir also wants to win more public sector work in the UK, where it already has an annual turnover of £427m. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Thames Water rescue deal should be rejected - MPs
A report on the future of Thames Water, urging the government to take action, has been published.
bbc.co.uk
'I would tip up to 30% at a restaurant'
New Yorkers and Londoners share what they usually tip in a restaurant - and whether tipping culture has gotten out of hand.
bbc.co.uk
Councils to share £5m in 'emergency food aid' as living costs rise
The money from the Welsh government will amount to around £200,000 to every council.
theguardian.com
MPs urge ministers to break off Thames Water talks with US hedge funds
Efra committee calls for emergency legislation enabling government to take public control of the company Andy Burnham is under further pressure to take control of ailing Thames Water from a cross-party group of MPs who are calling for ministers to break off talks with the US hedge funds who are effectively running the company.Adding their voices to demands that the prime minister takes public control of the company, which has debts of £20bn and is being controlled by a group of 100 hedge funds and distressed-debt investors, the MPs said in a report that ministers should consider emergency legislation to take control of its financial affairs to stabilise the company. Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Pokémon card curbs send shares of Japanese online marketplace Mercari on a bumpy ride
Mercari shares are clawing back losses after Pokémon card listing restrictions triggered a selloff earlier this week.
theguardian.com
Is Trump’s AI obsession walking the world into disaster? – podcast
Tech bosses have called for a slowdown in artificial intelligence and the creation of formal guardrails from the US government. But why is President Trump unmoved by the doomsday predictions, dismissing them as a ‘hoax’? What lies behind his embrace of the AI industry? Jonathan Freedland speaks to the Guardian US tech editor, Blake MontgomeryWatch Jonathan Freedland on our new Politics Weekly YouTube channelSend your questions and feedback to politicsweeklyamerica@theguardian.comListen to the latest season of Black Box Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘If you build something vastly smarter than you, it better be on your side’: can we stop AI from deceiving us? – podcast
We are used to the idea that our fellow humans might intentionally mislead or manipulate us, but the idea that machines can now do the same is deeply unsettling. Researchers are racing to find solutions before it’s too late.By Snigdha Poonam. Read by Maya SaroyaRead the text version hereSupport the Guardian today: theguardian.com/longreadpodThis article was supported by a grant from the Tarbell Center for AI Journalism Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Bank of Japan raises interest rates to 31-year high, flags concerns over inflation
The decision was split 7-2, with board members Toichiro Asada and Ayano Sato dissenting from the hike.
bbc.co.uk
Early Bowie music available to stream for first time
Previously unheard material from the start of the artist's career has been released for the first time.
theguardian.com
Find a credible plan for British Steel, ministers told as ‘startling’ costs soar
Government spending watchdog warns of price of keeping publicly owned firm in businessLabour has been urged to lay out a credible plan for the future of British Steel, as the government spending watchdog warned of the “startling” costs of keeping the struggling manufacturer in business with no end in sight.British Steel was taken into public ownership in July to protect “the future of steel production”, 15 months after the government stepped in to prevent the closure of its steelworks in Scunthorpe and the loss of 4,000 jobs. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
The virtual worlds where robots are trained
Training systems that allow robots to negotiate the real world are getting more sophisticated.
cnbc.com
Anthropic shares 3 metrics to help AI companies monitor pace of development
Anthropic said it measured AI-led research and development, oversight of AI agents and compute allocation within the company.
theguardian.com
Addison Lee founder owes £20.5m in tax after UK tribunal ruling
HMRC wins challenge over John Griffin’s claim to be non-dom despite having lived in England since childhoodThe founder of Addison Lee owes £20.5m in tax after a tribunal dismissed a claim that he should be treated as a nom-dom despite living in the UK since childhood.John Griffin had argued he should be treated as a nom-dom due to his connection to Ireland, saying: “I was and am besotted with Ireland, infatuated with Ireland. I believe that I have always been and am Irish.” Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on EU-Canada relations: strategic ambition with lessons for Britain | Editorial
Mark Carney’s response to the challenges posed by an unreliable US president contains a clarity of vision that is lacking in post-Brexit BritainThere is no “associate membership” of the European Union, nor any blueprint for what such a thing might involve. It is a political hypothesis, describing a relationship of intimate strategic alignment with the EU, stopping short of actual membership, in ways that are significant but undefined.This week, Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, invited Canada to be the first country to enjoy this putative status. In her state of the union speech, she spoke of a future relationship elevated “to the highest level possible”, reflecting an affinity of interests and values. Mark Carney, the Canadian prime minister, reciprocated the sentiment in a speech on Wednesday. Addressing the European parliament, he said the two sides should secure “strategic autonomy through deep cooperation” across a broad spectrum of interests: trade, defence, industrial capacity, science, space and AI. He proposed Canadian participation in the EU’s Erasmus student exchange programme and Horizon research scheme.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Taking on Trump? Canada and EU forge closer ties - The Latest
Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, has welcomed the EU’s proposal for Canada to become the bloc’s first ‘associate member’, despite threats from Donald Trump over the plan. The US president said Washington could impose ‘very serious tariffs’ or halt trade if the EU went ahead with the idea. But in a defiant speech to the European parliament, Carney called for ‘deep cooperation’ and said polling showed the overwhelming majority of Canadians supported closer ties with Europe. Lucy Hough speaks to Europe correspondent Jon Henley Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Mixed feelings from consumers as electricity discount to be given to NI households
The one-off £63 reduction in electricity bills will be applied from next month.
bbc.co.uk
Warm words on Canada's EU 'associate membership' but no guarantees
There is no certainty that the idea will ever get off the ground, let alone become a blueprint for other countries, writes the BBC's Katya Adler.
theguardian.com
Revolut reportedly facing $3m ransom demand after hackers steal hundreds of customers’ data
Europe’s largest financial technology company confirmed it had fallen victim to an impersonation scam last weekRevolut is facing a reported $3m (£2.2m) ransom demand after hackers posing as government officials accessed the data of hundreds of the bank’s cryptocurrency customers, including one victim who says he fears for his safety.Europe’s largest financial technology company confirmed last weekend that it had fallen victim to an impersonation scam in which hackers compromised an Italian government email system to contact Revolut staff and request personal customer details. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘I feel invisible’: over-50s reveal harsh realities of trying to get a job
Candidates describe feelings of rejection after submitting hundreds of applications but getting a handful of interviewsHundreds of job applications, exhausting searches and relentless rejection – the experience of attempting to get back into the workforce after losing their jobs in their 50s and 60s has proved an ordeal for some Britons.For some, those efforts prove fruitless and lead jobseekers to reluctantly take early retirement. Others may have to rely on benefits to pay the bills while they continue to job hunt. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The Bank of England is shaking up its bond sales – why does it matter?
What the plan to sell £146bn in gilts back to the Treasury means for the public financesBank of England holds interest ratesBurnham’s talk of ‘breathing space’ at odds with reality of future rate risesMixed in with the Bank of England’s decision on Thursday to hold interest rates at 3.75% was a surprise announcement that it was shaking up its programme of quantitative tightening.So why is this apparently arcane change to QT important, and what does it mean for the public finances? Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Money in people’s pockets is the key to economic recovery | Letter
David Redshaw responds to a letter on the bond markets and economic pressures afflicting the UKNeil Kinnock’s timely letter (9 September) reminds us that we are not alone in suffering high gilt yields and borrowing costs. We are still feeling the fallout from Covid, and it needs mentioning that our national debt is similar to America’s and much less than Japan’s, and it never gets mentioned that Italy routinely runs 100% of GDP debt. But as Kinnock observes, the policies of several Conservative governments (including Brexit) have made things worse, and the problem for us is not so much the actual debt but our direction of travel. The aforementioned will make the bond markets view us with a more jaundiced eye.It was predictable that Jamie Dimon would pop up at this point (JP Morgan boss meets Burnham and Healey to warn against bank tax rise, 10 September). He talks about potential lack of investment by the banks. What investment? We aren’t even a nation of shopkeepers any longer; we’re a nation of pizza deliverers. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Tax the middle earners! Will the PM do it? – podcast
Former Bank of England economist Andy Haldane said the markets regarded this government as ‘a pretty traditional tax and spend socialist government with better TikTok videos’. Harsh criticism or truth? As pressure mounts on the chancellor, John Healey, to rule out tax rises, what options do they have left? Plus, what can the government do to tackle AI warnings?Please keep sending your comments and questions to Pippa and Kiran on politicsweeklyuk@theguardian.com Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Barclays workers ask for more money to return to the office
Unite union, which represents 36,000 Barclays staff, calls for a one-off payment to offset increased travel and childcare costs.
bbc.co.uk
Interest rates held but Bank signals rise if energy prices stay high
Rates are held for the sixth time in a row but the Bank of England says high energy prices make a future rise more likely.
theguardian.com
Burnham’s talk of ‘breathing space’ at odds with reality of future Bank rate rises
PM’s push to cut cost of living threatened by rising inflation and government borrowing costs as geopolitics hit homeBank of England holds interest ratesThe Bank is shaking up its bond sales – why does it matter?Business live – latest updatesGood luck to Andy Burnham convincing voters he is giving them “breathing space”, if the Bank of England ratchets up interest rates in the coming months.That was the prospect opened up by Thursday’s minutes of the Bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC) meeting, which left rates unchanged at 3.75% – for now – but suggested policymakers may be unlikely to hold out much longer. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Trump says the US doesn’t need Canada. But it’s the source of key minerals for the military | Vince Beiser
Trump himself has acknowledged the US need for Canadian aluminum – and has largely exempted metals from new tariffsAs trade talks with Canada shambled toward collapse in late August, Donald Trump brayed on Truth Social: “WE DON’T NEED CANADA, THEY NEED US!” But in fact, Canada, like China, has something the US needs badly: critical metals that undergird modern military technology.Canada is the United States’s biggest foreign source of minerals, supplying about $47bin worth each year. Sixty per cent of all the aluminum the US uses each year, for instance, comes from Canada, where mighty, remote rivers provide smelting plants vast quantities of cheap, low-carbon electricity. The US military uses the lightweight metal for everything from shell casings to ship hulls and aircraft fuselage. The Pentagon’s cutting-edge F-35 fighter jet’s airframe is about 40% aluminum. “This country desperately needs aluminum,” Trump complained last month. “We get it all from Canada for the most part, and we need it badly.” Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Carney says Canada will decide its own partnerships after Trump calls EU proposal ‘laughable’
U.S. President Donald Trump had described the prospect of Canada becoming the first associate member of the EU as "laughable."
theguardian.com
British people understand the climate crisis threat. Today I’m empowering them to tackle it | Andy Burnham
With nearly £30m of funding, I’m giving communities power over local energy. They know the gravity of global heating, and they want to be part of the solutionAndy Burnham: UK must fully commit to reaching net zero by 2050On the day I became prime minister, I pledged to bring power to every postcode. Today, we begin to make good on that promise in the most literal sense. With nearly £30m of funding for People’s Power projects, communities across every nation of the UK will soon have the chance to build and control their own clean energy supply.This investment means villages, towns and cities can harness the natural resources around them with solar panels on libraries, publicly owned windfarms, hydro schemes in their rivers, or whatever else works for them. The purpose is to put money back in people’s pockets while giving them a direct role in tackling the climate crisis.Andy Burnham is prime minister of the United Kingdom Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Andy Burnham: UK must fully commit to reaching net zero by 2050
Exclusive: PM, who is facing pressure over whether to approve North Sea oil and gasfields, makes strongest comments yet on issueBritish people understand the climate crisis threat. Today I’m empowering them to tackle itThe UK must fully commit to reaching net zero by 2050, Andy Burnham has argued in his strongest comments yet on the issue, saying it is no longer possible for Britons to believe they are not already affected by a changing climate.Writing for the Guardian about new plans for a mass of community-led local green energy projects, the prime minister said the UK must “believe in itself”, and set out his determination to reach net zero targets, which have been rejected by the Conservatives and Reform UK. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘It bloody works’: why the world’s oldest cheddar-maker uses a ‘milk-source’ heat pump
Barber’s Farmhouse Cheesemakers can draw enough heat from cows’ fresh milk to bring water close to the boil, slashing carbon emissionsIn many ways, the world’s oldest cheddar-maker hews to tradition. Since 1833, Barber’s Farmhouse Cheesemakers has operated from the rolling green pastures of south-west England, milking grass-fed cows and fermenting the milk with microbial starters passed down for generations. That heritage has led to award-winning cheese, now popular across continents.But when it comes to reducing its planet-warming emissions, Barber’s is on the cutting edge. In 2024, the company began to use new ultra-efficient heat pumps from the UK startup Arkaya Energy. The devices quickly cool milk to keep it fresh, and simultaneously heat water used in milking operations, replacing conventional chillers and electric-resistance heaters. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
I sent 200 LinkedIn messages and got a job: How to nail networking
From coffee chats to LinkedIn messages, here's how to network your way to your next job.
theguardian.com
Trump’s love of fossil fuels is about more than money | Moira Donegan
The US decision to remove limits on coal and gas plant emissions is rooted in a perception of manliness in these industriesYou can impress a certain kind of person at a party by reciting the fact that there are more yoga instructors in the US than there are coalminers. In fact, the disparity is greater than this catchy phrasing suggests: there are actually more yoga instructors in the US than there are people employed in the entirety of the coalmining industry, miners and otherwise. It’s not even especially close: about 38,000 people in the US work in coal, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, compared to about 100,000 yoga instructors who are registered with the Yoga Alliance, an industry group.If you looked only at the numbers, you might think a politician would be incentivized to talk about the interests of the yoga industry, about the dignity that yoga jobs give to American families, or about the need to foster growth in the yoga industry, more than they talk about these things for coal; after all, yoga, not coal, is putting food on the table in more American households. But no politician would ever talk about the interests of yoga teachers, or wax poetic about their role in the American dream, the way they do with coal miners; if they did, they’d be laughed out of the room. And we all know why: yoga is thought of as decadent, cosmopolitan and feminine, while coal mining is imagined as hardscrabble, honorable and masculine.Moira Donegan is a Guardian US columnist Continue reading...
cnbc.com
Trump gains a tariff weapon against China and India. Will he use it?
U.S. House has paved the way for a legislation that will allow Trump to impose up to 100% tariffs on countries buying Russian oil, giving him leverage against India and China.
bbc.co.uk
Uncontrolled AI could lead to 'silicon species' rivalling humans, warns Microsoft
Mustafa Suleyman says he believes rival AI firm Anthropic is in effect teaching Claude it "may be conscious".
theguardian.com
Can fish and chip shops survive? ‘We made more money by closing than staying open’
Soaring fish prices, labour costs and changing tastes all spell bad news for Britain’s chippies. Is this the end for the seaside staple – or will a few innovators succeed in keeping them alive?One day in 2007, Darren Sudlow drove past the old stationmaster’s house at Padgate station, in Cheshire, noticed it was empty and decided to lease it. “He just fell in love with the place,” says his son, Kieran, who was 11 at the time. “He said he always wanted a fish and chip shop, for some reason.” Despite having worked as a joiner up to that point, Darren made a go of it, and the Plaice Station, as he named it, was a success from day one. “He worked like mad to get it open and then realised that the hard work hadn’t even started, and he had a queue out the door,” says the younger Sudlow.The family lived nearby. Kieran Sudlow, who is now 30, worked at the Plaice Station as a boy, peeling potatoes, washing dishes after school, then cooking at the range when he was 16. He went on to become a chef, working in Australia for a few years, then returning to help out at the chippy part-time when needed. Business had always been pretty good. They won local awards and had a loyal customer base. But one day in March, Kieran remembers, his father came in and told him: “‘I think the fish and chip shop’s going to go.’ He said, ‘It’s not making money. I can’t see it carrying on.’” Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
OpenAI reveals six more safety issues and unveils plan to disclose incidents
The firm also announced a new system to track, investigate and disclose cases of models misbehaving, or "misalignment".
bbc.co.uk
The Documentary
Katy Watson explores Australia's relationship with China - partner, rival or 'frenemy'?
bbc.co.uk
US interest rates raised for first time in three years
Rates were hiked in a unanimous decision despite fierce opposition from President Donald Trump, who had called for a cut.
bbc.co.uk
Why Trump's hand-picked Fed chair defied him by raising interest rates
The 0.25% increase comes despite fierce opposition from the US president, who has called for rates to be cut.
bbc.co.uk
EU chief backs plan for Canada to become 'associate member'
Trump, who has frequently clashed with Canada's PM, threatens to cut trade with the European Union in response to the proposal.
bbc.co.uk
Snapchat open to putting time limits on teens, boss tells BBC
Evan Spiegel says it would be "an important step forward for the industry" in an interview with the BBC.
bbc.co.uk
Would you buy branded clothing from your favourite tech firm?
Nvidia, OpenAI and Anthropic are all now selling their own limited edition fashion lines.
theguardian.com
Pension peril: is it time to unpick the triple lock? | Letters
Readers are divided on whether the triple lock should stay or goThe article about whether the pensions triple lock should be ditched omits several key facts (‘Costing billions’: is the pensions triple lock a lifeline or simply unaffordable?, 12 September). The triple lock was introduced in 2010 to attempt to reinstate the value of the state pension relative to average earnings. The new state pension is just over £12,547 per annum, as your reporter says; older pensioners get a basic £9,615. Both are well below the European average, which is over €16,000 (about £13,800) per year. The UK median wage is above £39,000 a year. Moreover, the age at which the UK state pension becomes payable is among the highest in Europe.The discussion on the affordability of the state pension seems to regard it as expenditure for no return. It is not. Pensioners spend money into their local economy, which generates tax revenues in the form of VAT and income tax from younger people who are dependent on pensioner money for their employment. Better-off pensioners pay income tax in the usual way. In fact, a pensioner with any income at all above the new state pension will pay tax on it as the personal tax free allowance is now £12,570, only £23 above their pension income. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Henry Zeffman: Andy Burnham and his chancellor have a battle on their hands as the Budget approaches
The Budget is only six weeks away and the economy is undoubtedly the biggest challenge facing the prime minister.
bbc.co.uk
Petrol and diesel price rises push UK inflation higher
Summer holidays and disruption to global oil supplies by the Middle East conflict stoked price growth.
bbc.co.uk
OpenAI boss says world 'right to be afraid' but should trust AI firms
Sam Altman and other tech CEOs say there are incentives to limit advancements in AI, as fears grow over the threats it poses to humanity.
theguardian.com
‘We need to get it right’: union gusto for Burnham will face make-or-break tests
TUC conference rings with praise for new No 10 team, but battles loom over workers’ rights and north sea drillingLouise Haigh, the UK first secretary, got a standing ovation from trade union members in Brighton this week, as she acknowledged what she called “the necessity to be bolder in this second chance that we’ve been allowed”.Haigh was the stand-in at the annual TUC congress for Andy Burnham, absent because of his father’s death. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
We managed to get jobs after uni - here's how we're keeping them
Four recent job starters share their tips on what helped them have a smooth transition and survive their first few days.
bbc.co.uk
Complaints to watchdog about water firms soar
Many complaints were about affordability, after customers saw steep hikes to bills.
theguardian.com
Barclaycard sent me a bill for someone else’s account
It told me a year ago I had applied for a credit card – now it is it telling me my payment is overdueA year ago I got an email from Barclaycard stating that my “application was successful” for a credit card. I had made no such application. I immediately reported this to Barclaycard. More emails arrived and I made repeated phone calls to customer service.I was assured it was a simple typo rather than fraud, and that my email address would be removed. However, I’m now receiving notifications that the latest account payment is overdue. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
UK in talks about joining global defence bank led by Canada
Supporters of the scheme say the bank would enable governments to get cheaper loans to spend on defence projects.
bbc.co.uk
The extreme engineering of aircraft windows
Few companies have the technology to make aircraft windows which are getting harder to make.
theguardian.com
Sky gave my father the hard sell even though he has dementia
He wanted to save money, but it insisted on selling costly packages and seemed not to accept ‘cancel’ as an optionI was helping my father, who has dementia and Parkinson’s disease, reduce his £113.50 Sky TV bill.We explained to the Sky call centre agent that, as his eyesight and attention span have deteriorated, he wanted the cheapest available TV package to free up money for his care. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Help-to-buy scheme delivered ‘very high value for money’, review finds
Exclusive: George Osborne’s programme to reduce costs for first-time buyers delivered £25bn in social value in UK last yearGeorge Osborne’s scheme to reduce costs for first-time buyers represented “very high value for money”, according to a government review, bolstering the case of senior government figures who have been arguing to resurrect the idea.An official audit of the help-to-buy programme has calculated it provided £25bn of social value to the UK in the last financial year, despite criticisms it was overly expensive and only served to inflate house prices. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Why unwanted fridges are piling up at recycling centres across England and Wales
Capacity has been overwhelmed by heatwaves that have pushed white goods to breaking point‘In Oxfordshire, recycling centres are filling almost three articulated lorries with discarded fridges every week,” says Simon Perry of W&S Waste Management, which runs a recycling centre in Ardley.Together, those fridges would cover an area just under half the size of a football pitch. But the space to store them – in Oxfordshire and beyond – has become a growing problem after the Local Government Association (LGA) warned that a mountain of broken fridges was rising in waste centres across England and Wales, as this year’s heatwaves push more white goods to breaking point, and a trend for second/backup refrigeration products keeps growing. Continue reading...
bbc.co.uk
Can Europe recharge its battery industry?
Europe has some promising battery tech, but can it make up ground lost to Chinese battery giants?
bbc.co.uk
I asked my husband to pay into my pension when we had a child - here's why
Molly and Taylor Haylett explain the changes to how they managed their finances when they started a family.
bbc.co.uk
Why some experts increasingly fear AI will take over
AI agents went on an uncontrolled hacking spree, leaving some in the industry worried
bbc.co.uk
Should promotion depend on how workers use AI?
More companies are tying career progression to AI use: is that fair?
bbc.co.uk
'Tirana teeth': Albania hopes to be the new Turkey for dental work
The Balkan nation is aiming to become a new centre for medical tourism.
bbc.co.uk
Aviation faces hotter, stormier skies – and passengers might have to accept more disruption
Are people going to have to increasingly accept more delays and diversions as the effects of climate change intensify?
bbc.co.uk
Prosecco, cakes and beauty products - how to get birthday freebies and why there's a catch
Cake, coffee, make-up and burgers are just some of the free things you can get on your birthday.
bbc.co.uk
From 'dog fruit' to darling: India's avocado boom
Demand for avocados is booming in India and local growers hope to grab more of the market.
bbc.co.uk
Why wait? Business grads buying firms to install themselves as CEO
Impatient to be the boss of an established company they are borrowing money to fund their purchases.
bbc.co.uk
'My parents won't lend me £10k but helped my brother': When families play financial favourites
So-called financial favouritism can cause jealousy and resentment long into adulthood. Here is how experts say you can avoid it
bbc.co.uk
Why the UK is dithering over what to do about e-scooters
Why is it taking so long for the government to regulate them, and what are the consequences of delay?
bbc.co.uk
Why Gen Z are planning for life without a state pension
Many younger people do not believe the state pension will exist when they are older
bbc.co.uk
The furious dispute over what caused Air India flight 171 to crash
The final conclusions of the investigation have yet to be published, although more could become apparent in the coming days.
bbc.co.uk
How the High Street became a window on our political instability
High Streets have declined in recent years. What does this tell us about the UK?
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